Car construction



April 1941- o. c. DURYEA 2,238,163

CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 8, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l \9,----' April 1941. o. c. DURYEA CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 8, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 15, 1941 CAR CONSTRUCTION Otho C. Duryea, Waterbury, 003111,, assignor to O. C. Dnryea Corporation, Wilmington, DeL, a

corporation oi Delaware Application February 8, 1940, Serial No. 317,963

.(FCI. 213-8) Claims.

This invention relates to railway car underframes of the Duryea type that provide long travel for resisting draft and buffing shocks with low forces, together with train slack that is pre determined independently of and is usually shorter than said long travel. In a form well known in practice, said Duryea underframe embodies a draft and buffing column that extends longitudinally of the car and is mounted for longitudinal movement relative to the car body and bolsters of relatively large extent, said movement being cushioned by suitable long travel cushion gears. Couplers. are mounted at the ends of said column for movement of limited extent relative thereto to provide train slack that is predetermined independently of the travel of said column relative to the car body. The present invention relates more particularly to long travel cushion gears comprising both resilient and friction means which serve to cushion the long travel of the draft and bufiing column relative to the car body as well as the limited train slack movement of the couplers relative to said column.

One of the objects: of the present invention is to provide a long travel cushion gear of the type characterized above that is of novel construction, being simple in design, relatively light in weight and inexpensive to manufacture, having a minimum of parts, and being readily assembled and installed and capable of satisfactory service with long life. Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter as the description proceeds.

One embodiment of the invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings but it is to be expressly understood that said drawings are for purposes of illustration only and are not to be taken as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims for this purpose.

In said drawings,

Fig. 1 is a plan View of one end of a car underframe embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; a

Fig. 4. is a perspective view of a friction hous- Fig. 5 is a perspective View of a pair of friction shoes;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section taken on the line 6-45 of Fig. 2; and

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are respectively vertical sections taken on the lines 'l-'!, 8-8 and 9-9 of Fig. 1.

Any suitable bolster construction can be employed, and the drawings show a part only of a body bolster at one end of the car which comprises a center brace casting ill of any suitable form. As here shown more particularly in Fig. '7, the casting lfl comprises an upper horizontal portion H and a lower horizontal portion 12 formed to provide the usual center plate I3, the portions. l l and I2 being connected by vertical side walls I4 and a central vertical portion l5, whereby spaced openings iii are provided for the passage of the draft and billing column as hereinafter described. Extending transversely of the car over the top of the casting i0 is a. bolster cover plate ll which may be secured to the casting in any suitable manner as by welding. As shown in Fig. 2 the upper portion of the center brace I0 is preferably provided with inclined walls it] forming a central ridge and the cover plate is provided with a welding slot 1 9 adjacent the ridge" and is welded to the casting through said slot and also along the inner and outer edges 20 of the casting. This ridge construction provides rigidity in both vertical and horizontal directions.

The bolster structure also includes bottom cover plates 2| (Fig. 7) the inner ends of which are welded to the center brace casting at 22, and the top cover plate I! and bottom cover plates H are connected by vertical diaphragms 23 preferably welded therebetween. Flanged torque arms 24 extend outwardly from the bolster to the end of the car where they are connected in any suitable manner to the end sill 25. As shown in Fig. '7 the webs of the torque arms are placed against the outer sides of the vertical walls M of the center brace casting, the lower flanges of said torque arms being Welded to the bolster structure at 22 and the upper edges of the torque arms being welded to the center brace casting at it. The inner ends of the diaphragm plates 23 preferably abut and are welded to the webs of the torque arms at 27 as shown in Fig. 6. The bolster cover plate I! and the upper flanges of the torque arms 24 serve to support the car floor 23.

Extending longitudinally of the car is a draft and bufiing column here shown as comprising spaced parallel channels 29, 29 which extend slidably through the spaced openings IS in the bolster and are supported by the lower portion I2 of the center brace casting. As here shown, said channels are arranged with their flanges turned inwardly toward the center line of the car and are suitably connected together throughout most of their length to form an integral column as by means of top and bottom cover plates intermediate the bolsters and castings 3| outwardly of the bolsters which also serve as spring housings as hereinafter described. Adjacent the bolsters where cover plates are not employed the channels may be strengthened if desired by means of vertical plates 32 welded between the flanges of the channels.

The channels 29 are suitably connected at their ends as by means of a casting 33 here shown as provided with arms 34 extending inwardly between the channels and having ribs 35 which define openings 35 for a suitable coupler key 3?. The casting 33 and arms 34 are preferably se cured to said channels by welding. The shank 3% of a suitable coupler is shown in Fig. 6, said coupler shank also having an opening 39 through which the key 31 extends. The dimensions of openings 35 and 39 are greater than those of the key 31, and normally the coupler shank is maintained in the position shown in Fig. 6 by means hereinafter described, whereby the inner edge of the opening 39 is held against the inner side of the key 31 and the outer side of said key is maintained against the outer edge of the openings 36. Accordingly when a draft force is applied to the coupler, the draft and buffing column 29, 29 is moved outwardly by the coupler without train slack, but when a buffing force is applied to the coupler it can move inwardly relative to the key 31 and thereafter the coupler and key together can move inwardly relative to the column to provide train slack which is limited as hereinafter described.

A long travel cushion gear comprising both resilient and friction means is disposed between the bolster and the coupler and serves to cushion both the train slack movement of the coupler relative to the column and the travel of the column relative to the car body and bolsters. Said cushion gear comprises a coil spring 40 and a spring bar or link 4| extending within the spring and having throughout most of the length of the spring a cross section as shown in Fig. 9 to support and guide the spring coils, the outer end of the spring bearing against a head 42 formed on the outer end of the link. Preferably said gear is housed in the casting 3| referred to above which also serves to connect the channels 29, 29, and to this end the outer portion of said casting comprises walls which are shaped to fit closely around the spring as shown in Fig. 9, the edges of said walls being preferably welded to the plates 32. A follower plate 43 is interposed between the link head 42 and the butt of the coupler shank 38, said follower plate being normally spaced from the ends of the walls of the casting 3| as indicated at 44 and said casting being preferably provided with upper and lower lugs 45 to retain the follower plate 42 in position. The space 44 determines the train slack since the follower plate 43 and the coupler may travel through this distance relative to the column but thereafter the coupler and column move inwardly together due to the abutment of the follower plate against the casting 3|.

During inward movement of the coupler and column, the spring bar or link 4| is moved inwardly, the inner end of said bar passing slidably through a central opening 46 in the center brace casting Hi. This inward movement of the bar is resisted by compression of the spring 40 and also by friction means now to be described. A friction housing 41 (Fig. i) normally rests against the outer face of the center brace casting l0, said housing having a central opening 48 through which the bar 4| passes. Preferably said housing is rectangular in shape and is shaped to provide inclined friction surfaces 49 one above and one below said opening 48 and aligned therewith. Cooperating with the friction surfaces 49 are friction surfaces 50 of a pair of friction shoes 5 i one of which is disposed above the bar 4| and the other below the bar 4|. Preferably said friction shoes are provided with extensions 52 which extend outwardly within the coils of the spring 40 and are shaped to fit closely therein, the inner end of said spring bearing against a hardened washer 53 which surrounds the extensions 52 of the friction shoes and wedging said shoes between the friction surfaces 49 and the bar 4|. To increase the friction effect, said bar is preferably tapered in the section thereof which slides between the shoes 5|, decreasing in thickness toward its inner end. and the upper and lower surfaces of said bar are preferably V-shaped as shown at 54 in Fig. 8, the cooperating surfaces of the friction shoes being similarly V-shaped as shown at 55 in Fig. 5. Said friction shoes may also be provided with lugs 56 extending around the sides of the bar 4| to maintain the desired relative position of the shoes and bar during the sliding movement of the bar. The inner diameter of the washer 53 is large enough to permit relative separation of the shoes 5| due to the taper of the bar 4|.

On outward movement of the draft and buffing column 29, 29, the spring bar 4| is heldagainst movement by the engagement of a key 51 at its inner end with the inner face of the center brace casting. The friction housing 41, however, is engaged by suitable stops 58 secured as by welding to the plates 32 whereby the assembly of the friction housing 4'! and friction shoes 5| is moved outwardly relative to the stationary bar 4|, compressing the spring 40 against the head 42.

Maximum inward and outward movement of the draft and bufiing column may be limited in any suitable manner. As shown herein stop plates 59 secured to the upper and lower flanges '3 of the channels as by welding are adapted to engage cooperating abutment surfaces 60 on the inner face of the center brace casting to limit the outward movement of the column. Inward movement of the column is limited by similar abutment surfaces 6| on the outer face of the center brace casting which are adapted to be engaged by the inner end of the casting 3|. To this end the inner portion of said casting, as shown in Figs. 2 and 8, is provided with upper and lower horizontal walls 62, the upper wall 62 being carried outwardly over the tops of the flanges of the channels 29 and welded thereto at 63.

If desired, additional frictional resistance to the movement of the draft and buffing column may be afforded by frictional engagement between said column and the floor of the car. To this end a friction plate 64 extends longitudinally between the bolsters and is secured at its ends as by welding to lugs 65 on the center brace castings. Hence the upper surface of the cover plate 3!] of the draft and buffing column moves in frictional engagement with the plate 64 which engagement is maintained by means of filler blocks 66 whereby the weight of the car floor and lading is transmitted to the plate 64.

The operation will be understood from the foregoing description and may be summarized as follows. When a draft force is applied to the coupler 38, it moves to the right as shown in the if of the spring bar 4i; i the bar the shoes :ii are forced to separate durdrawings andthe draft and buffing column 29, 29 is-thereby moved outwardly without train slack as explained above. The spring'bar 4| and spring it are 'held against outward movement by the engagement of the key 51 with the inner face of the center brace casting Ill. The stops 58 engage the spring housing ll and move it outwardly ingthis movement, causing additional friction between the' cooperating surfaces 39 and B. (Dutward movement of the column is also resisted by friction between the friction plate 6 1 andthecover plate fill. If the draft force is great enough, the outward movement of the column will be limited by the engagement of the stops lidwith the abutments (it. Thereafter the spring ill. returnsthe parts ton-ormalposition as shown in the drawings.

1 .When a bufhng force is applied to the coupler the coupler 3t and follower plate 63 first move inwardly. relative to the column through the distance M to provide a predetermined amount of train slack. This movement is cushioned since the follower plate 43 engages the head d2 of the spring bar and moves the bar inwardlyycompressing the spring and also mov-- ing the bar ii inwardly in frictional engagement with the shoes El, the housing 61 being held stationary against the bolster. movement of the coupler causes the column to move inwardly together with the bar 4i, resulting in further compression of the spring 40 and friction between the bar 4| and the shoes 5|. Owing to the taper of the spring bar, the shoes iii are again forced to separate causing additional friction between the cooperating surfaces 29 and till. Inward movement of the column is also resisted by friction between the friction plate fi l and the cover plate iii]. If the bufiing force is great enough, the inward movement of the column will be limited by engagement of the walls (52 with the abutments iii of the center brace casting. Thereafter the spring ll) again returns the parts to the normal position shown in the drawings.

It will be observed that the cushioning mechanism described above is simple in design and embodies a minimum number of parts. It is inexpensive to manufacture and relatively light in weight. At the same time it is capable of being readily assembled and installed as a unit, the spring bar, spring and friction shoes being assembled as a unit by compressing the spring in a press and inserting suitable gags between said shoes and the notches 67 on the spring bar. At the same time the construction is strong and rigid and provides effective and reliable cushioning with long travel.

While only one embodiment of the invention has been described and illustrated in the drawings it will be understood that this embodiment is for purposes of illustration and it will now be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the form, details of construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention. Rereference is therefore to be had to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

Further inward I What is claimed is:

1."=In a railway car underframe, the combination of a body bolster, a draft and bufiing column movable longitudinally of the car relative to said bolster, a coupler mounted at the end of and op-,

coupler and movable inwardly thereby on inward movement of said coupler and column, means on said-bar to engage said bolster and hold said bar against movement on outward movement of said coupler and column, a housing normally engaging said bolster and having an opening through which said bar extends, stop means on said column to engage and move said housing outwardly on outwardmovement of said column, said bar having friction surfaces adjacent said housing, the friction surfaces of said housing being inclined with respect to the friction surfaces of said bar, friction shoes interposed between said friction surfaces of the bar and housing, and resilient means interposed between the outer end of said bar and the outer sides of said friction shoes.

2. In a railway car underframe, the combination of a body bolster, a draft and bufiing column movable longitudinally of the car relative to said bolster, a coupler mounted at the end of and operatively connected to said column for movement therewith, and cushioning means disposed between said bolster and coupler for resisting draft and buffing shocks and comprising a bar having its outer end arranged to be engaged by said coupler and movable inwardly thereby on inward movement of said coupler and column, means on said bar to engage said bolster and hold said bar against movement on outward movement of said coupler and column, a. friction housing normally engaging said bolster and having an opening through which said bar extends, said bar having friction surfaces on opposite sides and said housing having opposed friction surfaces one adjacent each of said opposite sides, the friction surfaces of said housing being inclined with respect to the friction surfaces of said bar, friction shoes wedged between the cooperating surfaces of said bar and housing, stop means on said column to engage said housing and move said housing and shoes outwardly on outward movement of said column, and resilient means interposed between the outer end of said bar and the outer sides of said friction shoes.

3. In a railway car underframe, the combination of a body bolster, a draft and buffing column movable longitudinally of the car relative to said bolster, a coupler mounted at the end of and operatively connected to said column for movement therewith, and cushioning means disposed between said bolster and coupler for resisting draft and bufiing shocks and comprising a bar having its outer end arranged to be engaged by said coupler and movable inwardly thereby on inward movement of said coupler and column, a friction housing normally engaging said bolster, said housing and bolster having aligned openings through which said bar extends, means on said bar to engage said bolster and hold said bar against movement on outward movement of said coupler and column, said housing and bar having cooperating friction surfaces on opposite sides of said bar, the friction surfaces of said housing being inclined with respect to the friction surfaces of said bar, friction shoes wedged between said cooperating surfaces, resilient means interposed between the outer sides of said shoes and the outer end of said bar, and stop means on said column to engage said housing and move said housing and shoes outwardly on outward movement of said column.

4. In a railway car underframe, the combination of a body bolster, a draft and bufllng column movable longitudinally of the car relative to said bolster, a coupler mounted at the end of and operatively connected to said column for movement therewith, and cushioning means disposed between said bolster and coupler for resisting draft and buffing shocks and comprising a bar having its outer end arranged to be engaged by said coupler and movable inwardly thereby on inward movement of said coupler and column, a friction housing normally engaging said bolster and having an opening through which said bar extends, means on said bar to engage said bolster and hold said bar against movement on outward movement of said coupler and column, said housing and bar having cooperating friction surfaces on opposite sides of said bar and said bar having a taper and surfaces, resilient meansinterposed between the outer sides of said shoes and the outer end of said bar, and stop means on said column to engage said housing and move said housing and shoes outwardly on outward movement of said column.

5. In a railway car underframe, the combination of a body bolster, a draft and buffing column movable longitudinally of the car relative to said bolster, a coupler mounted at the end of and operatively connected to said column for movement therewith, and cushioning means disposed between said bolster and coupler for resisting draft and bufllng shocks and comprising a bar having its outer end arranged to be engaged by said coupler and movable inwardly thereby on inward movement of said coupler and column, a friction housing normally engaging said bolster and having an opening through which said bar extends, means on said bar to engage the bolster and hold said bar against movement on outward movement of said coupler and column, said bar having opposite sides V-shaped in cross section to provide friction surfaces and said housing having opposed friction surfaces on said opposite sides of said bar, the friction surfaces of said housing being inclined with respect to the friction surfaces of said bar, friction shoes each having an outer friction surface engaging said housing and an inner V-shaped friction surface engaging said bar, resilient means interposed between the outer sides of said shoes and the outer end of said bar, and stop means on said column to engage said housing and move said housing and shoe outwardly on outward movement of said column.

OTHO C. DURYEA. 

